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My dream cities are NYC, London and Paris. If I could live well in any of these three, then I don't think I would care to live anywhere else.
But then again, I COULD risk getting my illusions shattered.
07-22-2012, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by helloimage
For me was Italy. I still think Italy is a billionaire when it comes to Art, Architecture, Cusine and Culture. I have couple degrees in Art so I still drool and marvel at their history but when I lived there I was disappointed. Studying there and visiting there is one thing but actually living there is a completely different thing! I found Italy a sexist country, terrible goverment (even worse than USA), beaucracy system is a nightmare! Sorry to offend Italians but that is my experience. This is what happens when one has a dream and your bubble bursts. Its heartbreaking. I was quiet younger and naive then so it hurt a lot.
What is your experience?
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Originally Posted by helloimage
I still love Italy and met so many Italians that hate and love Italy but won't leave or can't. I guess you can say I have a love/hate relationship with Italy. I specialized in Italian Renaissance art in university.
There is different levels of disappointment. For you to still love Italy and have some respect for that country, it appears you just had a subtle mild disappointment that just slightly lowered your opinions of Italy, and not having the more conspicuous, extreme, devastating forms of disappointment. Or maybe it was both of those forms of disappointment simultaneously.
Maybe you would have enjoyed more living in other areas of Italy such as Rome, Milan, Genoa, Turin, or Venice, and not Florence.
A lot of people say Milan is more progressive, with less of the government bureaucracy problems, and with a better economy than the rest of Italy. It also has an impressive location and one of the best areas in Italy close to the Alps mountains, Northwestern Italian coastline/Genoa, Turin, Venice, and not that far away from Rome, Bologna, Florence, and Zurich Switzerland.
You could give Italy a second chance and try out living in Milan.
So far, I never was disappointed yet with my expectations of specific locations. That is because I have good intuition with what to look for related to my standards/preferences, and I know the locations that would satisfy/interest me the most and the other locations that wouldn’t.
However, even people with good intuition can still have a few times where something is not what they anticipated and predicted, so I could still have a few times in the future where I could have a surprising change of opinions about some locations.
07-22-2012, 11:28 AM
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Actually to be honest NYC is the ONLY place in the states I can bare to live in. I currently live back in DC where I grew up but if I cannot make it in London or Montreal than NYC it is.
NYC has everything I need to live happily. v Its such full of life!
I am a city girl at heart small towns bore the hell out of me.
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Originally Posted by helloimage
Also you have to understand that NYC really isnt representative of all the US. NYC is like a separate country...its own world. In NYC I feel as if I am a different country.
I mean most of US looks a lot alike more or less, surburbs, mini malls etcera.
There is a lot of places I enjoy, have what I need to live happily, that is filled with life, and find inspiring for existence.
That is for so many places than just New York City, which is only just one small part of the picture for me. NYC actually does not even have to be part of the picture at all for a lot of people finding places they enjoy and find inspiring. It is just one city out of many cities that exist.
New York City still has lots of overrated, misleading, and distorted features about it.
I lived in that city for 19 out of 21 years of my life, so I know what I am talking about. After a few more years in college, I don’t know if I can see myself living in NYC for the rest of my life, and I probably will need at least a few years where I live somewhere else.
I also lived in Seattle for 2 years, and preferred to have stayed there a bit longer. I got to know Seattle/Pacific Northwest very well, and it felt like I was there for more than 2 years.
Other areas in the USA have what you are looking for where you can find complete satisfaction. Why do you think it is only New York City in the USA?
There is also Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, and probably some more options too.
Other areas of the USA can also feel like a different world and country. It can be easy to find that state of mind in plenty of various countries.
There is still plenty of the USA that is not suburbs/mini malls/looking similar.
I equally enjoy Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago as much as New York City when all factors and qualities are averaged together, and they are my 4 favorite cities in the USA.
However, it appears that you are more enthusiastic with most of the countries in Europe compared to the USA, especially for your career interests.
Well of course I still love Italy. But its not progressive enough for me. Its so backwards. And don't even get me started with the Vatican Church.
A lot of my friends who still live there, expats friends, want me to give it another chance. But I don't want to, besides my partners hates Italy .
I have to live in an international city, like NYC, Paris or London or I will be miserable. So in the US I don't see any other option. Trust me I am WAY older than you and have a lot of life experience. I am stubborn LOL, I love big cities, I need visual stimulation. I have done the surburbs I almost wanted to die.
I guess we are all attracted with things that are foreign. I think people that want to come to the states and live the 'American dream' are dillusional LOL.
Well of course I still love Italy. But its not progressive enough for me. Its so backwards. And don't even get me started with the Vatican Church.
A lot of my friends who still live there, expats friends, want me to give it another chance. But I don't want to, besides my partners hates Italy .
I have to live in an international city, like NYC, Paris or London or I will be miserable. So in the US I don't see any other option. Trust me I am WAY older than you and have a lot of life experience. I am stubborn LOL, I love big cities, I need visual stimulation. I have done the surburbs I almost wanted to die.
I guess we are all attracted with things that are foreign. I think people that want to come to the states and live the 'American dream' are dillusional LOL.
I think you are being a little unfair. The US has plenty of major cities that have international feel to them. On scale of NYC? Well your SOL on that because there are only a few cities in this world that are hyper international like NYC, so looks like you have very few options. Basically NYC, London, and Tokyo. I consider Chicago, SF, LA, DC and Miami to be very international. Just as international if not more than places like Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Berlin or Sydney. That's fine if you want to live in a city like NYC or London, but claiming the only international city in the U.S. is NYC is pretty arrogant.
You could give Italy a second chance and try out living in Milan.
Er... have you actually EVER been in Milan?
Come on, it is the most grey and polluted city in Europe... living there is really depressing.
The vast majority of italian people actually HATE Milan.
Well of course I still love Italy. But its not progressive enough for me. Its so backwards. And don't even get me started with the Vatican Church.
A lot of my friends who still live there, expats friends, want me to give it another chance. But I don't want to, besides my partners hates Italy . I have to live in an international city, like NYC, Paris or London or I will be miserable. So in the US I don't see any other option. Trust me I am WAY older than you and have a lot of life experience. I am stubborn LOL, I love big cities, I need visual stimulation. I have done the surburbs I almost wanted to die.
I guess we are all attracted with things that are foreign. I think people that want to come to the states and live the 'American dream' are dillusional LOL.
I agree: when I lived in Rome and Milan I actually miss an international vibe, a cosmopolitan atmosphere... IMHO, they are still provincial cities.
Los Angeles used to be my dream city as a kid growing up in Oregon. I used to summer here and dream of the day when I would one day move here. Finally I did, I moved here after living in Texas for 3 years. I was 12 years old (I'm currently 20), and it took me less than a year to want to leave this place. I found it difficult to make friends, it seems people will be your friend until it's no longer convenient. That being said, I do live in North Orange County, where it's not exactly like LA. However, I find LA to be very polluted, sprawling, and it's layout is strange. It's impossible to drive through without running into traffic (even at night), the road system is difficult to navigate, and the public transport is substandard for a city of its size (however it is getting better). I've also grown tired of sunny and warm weather all year, as weird as that sounds. But I've really learnt to appreciate four seasons, even if it does rain 3 out of 4 seasons in Oregon, there's still more distinction than LA (eg. leaves changing, spring blossoms, snow but only sometimes, etc).
I can't decide what my dream city or country is, I have a few on my list. Within the US I include Portland (I grew up on the outskirts, not in the city centre), Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and cities of the like. Outside places like London, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Vancouver, or Montreal would be my places. In all honesty you have to take the good with the bad, learn what you can live with and what you can't. For me extended periods of hot weather don't suit me.
Like you, I was once California dreamin' in high school. I always thought L.A. would be a cool place to live, because of the weather, the beaches, lots to do, and its cool to say you live there. I ended up living in California (San Diego, not L.A.), and I ended up missing Georgia after awhile, especially my family and friends, and the culture that I was used to that I didn't think I'd miss. I also got bored of the weather after awhile. Like you, I was having trouble making friends. The first impression I had of San Diego was that people were snobby. I thought maybe because it was San Diego and not L.A., that L.A. would be better for me, so I visited there often. I eventually got tired of L.A. after awhile.
I would recommend Tokyo on your list. I lived there for 3 years and didn't want to leave it. I am half-Japanese and have visited the Tokyo area quite a bit, so I was already familiar with the culture. Right now, I still say it's the #1 city to live in. The other cities you listed aren't bad either. I'm not familiar with Amsterdam though.
Okay then call me arrogant. I was born in Chicago and lived there for two years when I was 21 and still not was I was looking for. I tried L.A., can't stand car culture plus I found it intensely superficial city.
London is probably what best suits my needs or Paris. I still like Italy, maybe when I have grandchildren Italy will be different. To me Italy is like my first boyfriend, I get warm memories but its time to move on, we've outgrown each other .
Italy needs more migration from progressive people, like they have in Berlin. I would go back .
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Sorry to offend Italians but that is my experience. This is what happens when one has a dream and your bubble bursts. Its heartbreaking. I was quiet younger and naive then so it hurt a lot.
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I would go back 
